Deerness Gymnastics Academy

New Website www.deernessgymnastics.org.uk

Home to World, European and British Champions

The aim of the academy is to offer children of all ages and abilities the opportunity to participate in gymnastics at a recreational or a competitive level in a supportive and friendly environment.

The Academy currently embraces a range of gymnastic disciplines and has consistently produced World, European and British Champions with more than 60 “Team GB” members.

The facility comprises a 15,000 sq ft purpose-built gymnasium, a dance studio, a preparation gymnasium, activities room, various fitness rooms, a sauna and changing rooms with showers.

Home to World, European and British Champions

Deerness Leisure Centre bounces back from closure threat as gymnastics academy (From The Northern Echo)

OVER 25 years, Deerness Gymnastics Club has produced more than 80 international gymnasts and brought home more than 60 world and European medals – winning four world and five European titles.

And all this came out of the small village of Ushaw Moor, in County Durham.

Coaches, parents and gymnasts alike were devastated, therefore, when, earlier this year, Durham County Council announced plans to close its base, Deerness Leisure Centre, in a move to cut costs.

However, volunteers put together a successful rescue package and yesterday the centre reopened as a gymnastics academy.

Karl Wharton, the academy’s director of gymnastics, said: “It’s our aim to run it as a gymnastics community facility, where we cater for everyone from mothers, toddlers and babies through to high-level international performers, right through to old age pensioners who want to come along and do something gymnastics-related just to keep fit.

“This facility is immensely important. It was identified as an Olympic training venue two or three years ago and it is immensely important for British gymnastics.

“We’ve currently got more than 15 of the acrobatic gymnastics GB squad and ten of the tumbling squad.

“We were all devastated at the leisure centre’s closure because we never expected that decision could be made “Initially, there was shock. But we decided there was no way we would let it go. Parents and helpers have come on board and now we have 150 volunteers who want to keep it open as a true community facility.”

Lesley Charman, whose 19-year-old son, Joe, is a member of the club, said: “It’s made a massive difference. It’s really helped with his confidence.

“He’s much more outgoing since he’s been coming to gymnastics. It has helped at school as well.”

Jessie Heskett, 17, who is part of the British champions senior men’s four, trains at the centre five times a week, for four hours at a time.

“It was quite disappointing to hear about the closure – there was panic to be honest.

“But the plans we have now are very exciting. It gives us a lot more freedom and flexibility.

“Without this club, we couldn’t have been as successful as we have been.”

Durham County Council-run leisure centres in Crook and Ferryhill closed on Saturday, although community groups are still fighting to prevent them being demolished.

Centres in Sherburn and Coxhoe will reopen as community-run facilities in coming months, while the council is retaining Pity Me’s facility on reduced hours.

For more details about Deerness Gymnastics Academy, visit deernessgymnastics.org.uk

Deerness Leisure Centre bounces back from closure threat as gymnastics academy (From The Northern Echo).

Toon ace Andy Carroll hails Wish campaign – Chronicle News – News – ChronicleLive

“All the players back the Foundation and know what a great job it does in the community. The more tokens they collect, the more money it raises and the more local children and families benefit – simple.”

Also appealing for help are youngsters at Deerness Valley Gymnastics Club, who are in desperate need of new safety mats.

Organisers from the group in Ushaw Moor, Durham, can spend more than £7,000 on mats every year.

Also appealing for help are the friends and family of Mark Tuner, of Gateshead, was killed in Helmand Province while searching for roadside bombs in April this year.

They have set up the Mark Turner Memorial Fund – a charity in his memory and are hoping to raise £250,000 for a new memorial in Gateshead to honour soldiers that have died.

All these organisations need to collect as many tokens as possible to bag a share of the money.

The more tokens they collect, the more cash they will receive.

via Toon ace Andy Carroll hails Wish campaign – Chronicle News – News – ChronicleLive.

ChronicleLive – Sport – Grassroots – Gymnastics: Durham’s Deerness medal triumph

Gymnastics: Durham’s Deerness medal triumphApr 14 2010

Evening Chronicle DURHAM’S Deerness Valley High Performance Centre for Acrobatic Gymnastics and Tumbling enjoyed success in the Regional Championships.The club entered youngsters aged between eight and 18 in 18 different categories at South Shields’ Temple Park Leisure Centre.They achieved an impressive medal hoard of 14 gold, nine silver and two bronze – as well as qualifying 19 of their tumblers for the National Finals.The kids who go through to the British Championships were Lauren Said, Lauren Husband, Sam Stafford, Casey Coxon, Shanice Davidson, Caleb Steel, Courtney Hodgson, Alexandra Richardson, Jonathan Morgan, Jevon Atkinson, Kristian Atkinson, Iona Rockett, Rachel Pearson, Eilidh Cameron, Erin Stone, Mae Heskett, Matilda Hamilton, Deborah Gathercole and Sophie Mills.The medal winners were Alexandra Knowd, Rebekah Pattinson, Hope Rackstraw, Rebecca Dixon, Oliver Herring and Sasha Atkinson.Lily Hardie, Kara Farrier, Rachael Brown, Georgia Tindale, Stephanie Plowman and Caroline Barker all represented the club as well, while coaches Mark Nesbitt, Cassie Burnett and Glen Wharton were in charge of the squad.Tumbling coach Wharton said: “It was an outstanding achievement for the club.“The performances of the young children, many of whom were taking part in their first competition, was extremely impressive.”The Durham club has a good track record in the Regional Championships, but their successes this time round were unprecedentedly high.Wharton added: “It is unheard of to have so many kids in the national finals representing one club.“It was a pleasure to see the kids perform so well in their first big competition.”The budding gymnasts will now go on to represent the region in the British Championships at Stoke-on-Trent in May.

via ChronicleLive – Sport – Grassroots – Gymnastics: Durham’s Deerness medal triumph.